Thermal management of optical coupling systems

Abstract

An optical coupling system includes a substrate, an electronic die comprising a plurality of coupling holes for passing light, an optical element die attached to a bottom surface of the electronic die, the electronic die attached to the substrate such that the electronic die covers a cavity in the substrate and the optical element die resides within the cavity of the substrate. The system may also include a thermally conductive lid that covers and contacts the electronic die and the substrate and has a coupling aperture that enables light that passes through the coupling holes to pass through the thermally conductive lid. The system may also include an optical cable coupler comprising a coupling section that laterally fits within the coupling aperture and a body section disposed above the coupling section that is laterally larger than the coupling section. A method for providing the above system is also disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical coupling system comprising:
 a substrate having a cavity formed on a top surface thereof; 
 an electronic die comprising a plurality of coupling holes for passing light; 
 an optical element die attached to a bottom surface of the electronic die; 
 the electronic die attached to the substrate such that the electronic die at least partially covers the cavity and the optical element die resides within the cavity of the substrate, the optical element die comprising one or more optical elements for providing light to, or receiving light from, the coupling holes; 
 a thermally conductive lid that covers and contacts at least a portion of the electronic die and the substrate, the thermally conductive lid comprising a coupling aperture that encompasses the plurality of coupling holes and enables light that passes through the coupling holes to pass through the thermally conductive lid; and 
 an optical cable coupler comprising a coupling section and a body section, the coupling section laterally fitting within the coupling aperture and the body section disposed above the coupling section and laterally larger than the coupling aperture. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink thermally attached to the thermally conductive lid. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a thermal interface material disposed between the heat sink and the thermally conductive lid. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive lid is a heat sink. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive lid comprises air cooling elements or water cooling elements. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic die comprises a driving circuit. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the driving circuit is electrically connected with an electro-optical element on the optical element die. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a lensing element. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the lensing element reduces divergence of a light beam that passes through a coupling hole. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal interface layer comprising a thermal interface material. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the thermal interface layer is disposed between the electronic die and the thermally conductive lid. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the thermal interface layer is disposed between the electronic die and the substrate. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the thermal interface layer is disposed between the thermally conductive lid and the substrate. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the thermal interface layer is disposed between the electronic die and the optical element die. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the thermal interface layer is a pad. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the thermal interface material is a gel. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the thermal interface material is cured. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical elements comprise a laser. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical elements comprise a photodiode. 
     
     
       20. An optical coupling method comprising:
 providing a substrate having a cavity formed on a top surface thereof; 
 providing an electronic die comprising a plurality of coupling holes for passing light; 
 connecting an optical element die to a bottom surface of the electronic die; 
 attaching the electronic die and the optical element die to the substrate such that the electronic die covers the cavity and the optical element die resides within the cavity of the substrate, the optical element die comprising one or more optical elements for providing light to, or receiving light from, the coupling holes; 
 covering the electronic die and the optical element die with a thermally conductive lid that covers and contacts at least a portion of the electronic die and the substrate, the thermally conductive lid comprising a coupling aperture that encompasses the plurality of coupling holes and enables light that passes through the coupling holes to pass through the thermally conductive lid; and 
 optically coupling an optical cable coupler to the one or more optical elements, the optical cable coupler comprising a coupling section that laterally fits within the coupling aperture and a body section disposed above the coupling section that is laterally larger than the coupling aperture.